"There is a Shield game that starts some time in early February which I want to play. I want to take my time and make a good decision moving forward. I will take that time because I respect the game," said Hayden, who is ignored by selectors for the Twenty20 and one-day matches against South Africa.

"I'm paid to get runs and when you are short of runs you have to start asking questions and they (the selectors) do that better than anyone. For my mind it is as simple as playing out the summer and taking the time and the energy to get back on the horse or make a decision not to. It's as clear cut as that," he was quoted as saying by Herald Sun.

The 37-year-old Hayden said he was not in right state of mind to decide on his future at this stage so he would take a small break and decided whether or not to continue in cricket.

"It's very disappointing not to fill the cricket calendar. It's been a pretty long last four months and very difficult to take a breath and get my mind around what my future does hold. I'm going to take the time to do that," said the 103 Test-old veteran opener who has scored 8625 runs at an average of 50.73.

"My immediate future is to go back home to my family and the people that love me the most and just enjoy this time, to tack guard again, it's been a pretty long last four months," he added.

Hayden said he respected the selectors' decision to omit him from the shorter form squads to give chance to youngsters.

The embattled opener, who made 117 runs at 19.5 in the Test series against South Africa in which Australia stole a consolation victory at the SCG and lost the series 2-1, found solace on the fact that his team-mates have been supporting in his hour of crisis.

"If mates were telling me, 'mate it's time to go' I would certainly listen to that. But my mates aren't saying that. The people who do understand the difficulties of our role as cricketers aren't saying that to me.

"Ultimately it will be my call to look at the bloke that talks to yourself every day in the mirror and say 'mate it is time to go or saddle up, pull your socks up and get on with it you've got South Africa and you've got the Ashes'."